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Contemporary Issues Seminar Database Search Features

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CONTEMPORARY ISSUES SEMINAR -- PES 6703
DATABASE SEARCH FEATURES

Some Universal Search Features

  1. Use "Help" or "Search Tips" link to answer questions about searching the database.
  2. Can search multiple databases at the same time but may include loss of some specialized search features.
  3. Use "quotation marks" to search for exact phrases.
  4. Can limit or refine retrieval by including various qualifiers (e.g., date range or publication type).
  5. Can use "Not" as a connector to exclude words in order to create a more precise search.
  6. Can search by title of periodical with a "Source" or "Publication Name" search and add qualifying term(s) with a keyword search.
  7. Look for applicable subject headings (or descriptors) in article records to use as links to more articles on that topic.

New and/or Specialized Search Features

  1. CSA (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts) databases1:
    1. Includes link "View Record" on the summary screen, which also includes an abstract of the periodical article in the record.
    2. Includes NO image (PDF) / full text (HTML) articles.
    3. New Feature!  Can limit retrieval to journal articles.
    4. New Feature!  Includes link "Find Full Text" on the summary screen to determine which SPU database might have the article in image/full text.
      1. [Note: If the article linker shows that the image/full text of the article is not available in an SPU database, then use link "By Journal Title" to search the SPU catalog.  If the periodical title/article is not held by the SPU library, then click link "Submit Interlibrary Loan Request" to order the article from another library.]
    5. Includes access from the summary screen to related web resources for some keyword searches.
       
  2. EBSCOhost periodical index databases1:
    1. Includes some image (PDF) / full text (HTML) articles.
    2. Can limit retrieval in some EBSCOhost databases to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals.
    3. Includes links in some article records to:
      1. "Check SPU Catalog" for holdings information in the catalog.
      2. New Feature!  "Check for full text" to determine which SPU database might have the article in image/full text.
      3. "Request via ILL" if article is not available in an SPU database or at SPU.
         
  3. ProQuest periodical index databases1:
    1. Includes some image (PDF) / full text (HTML) articles.
    2. Can search using "Topic Guide" tab and then filter by subject, company/org, location, and person.
    3. Sorts article results by type of periodical (e.g., Scholarly Journals Scholarly Journals, Magazines, Trade Publications, Newspapers, Reference/Reports).
    4. New Feature!  Includes links to suggested topics and publications at the top of article results.
    5. Click on "Marked List" tab to use: (1) article and bibliography print feature, which supports emailing articles and various citation styles; and (2) research summary, which creates reading lists.
    6. Includes links in some article records to:
      1. "Check SPU Catalog" for holdings information in the catalog.
      2. New Feature!  "Check for full text via Article Linker" to determine which SPU database might have the article in image/full text.
        1. [Note: Includes a "Submit Interlibrary Loan Request" link to use when article is not available in an SPU database or at SPU.]

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1See main SPU Database web page or subject listing of databases to match database and vendor.
 

Aileen Maddox, 206-281-2420, amaddox@spu.edu
SPU Library, Room 129

 
rev. 12/02/04